It's Raining Again
by animeninjaNIPPON
Summary: [songfic] Stan finds comfort in the rain, where he doesn't have to concentrate on his sister's abuse.


By animeninjaNIPPON

WARNING: Abuse ahead, but it's canon, so it shouldn't be a huge shock. Also, I don't own South Park or its characters – that honor goes to Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Not being them, naturally, I cannot guarantee that this story will be entirely in-character, though I will do my best to keep it that way. I do not own the song "The Sun and the Rain," either; it belongs to the band Madness.

* * *

Stan Marsh lay on his bed restlessly. It was well past midnight, but he was unable to sleep. Part of it had to do with the fact that his left arm ached where Shelly had jerked it backwards when she slammed him into the kitchen table, but another part of it revolved around the nightmare he had an hour ago involving his sister strangling him and himself turning into his fatally-cursed friend, Kenny McCormick. He rolled over towards the window, where he noticed several water droplets trickling down the glass.

_It's raining again,  
__I'm hearing its pitter-patter down.  
__It's wet in the street  
__Reflecting the lights and splashing feet,  
__Nowhere to go,  
__And nothing I have to do, have to do..._

He sighed. How convenient – it was raining for the third time in that Hellish week. Maybe God was trying to tell him something...like maybe, "Screw you." That was what everyone else seemed to say to the idea of him getting hit by his sister – people at school thought he was a pussy, Cartman acted like it was so easy just to tell some bitch what to do, Kenny was a pervert...Kyle, Stan's best and most caring friend, gave him the advice to just be a caring brother, but it seemed like nothing ever worked on her for long. It made sad to think that maybe once, long ago, they were civil to each other.

The rain outside made everything seem gloomier in his room. Unable to handle his thoughts any longer, Stan got up and threw on a sweater and shoes.

_It's raining again,  
__I follow the Christmas lights down town.  
__I'm leaving the flow  
__Of people walking all around,  
__Round and round..._

Stan managed to make it outside without waking his parents or – thank God – his sister. He didn't know where or why he was going, he just didn't want to be in his room at that moment. Besides, Shelly had been known to attack him in his own bedroom on occasion...

_I hear the sound of rain falling in my ears  
__Washing away the weariness like tears.  
__I can feel my troubles running down,  
__Disappear into the silent sound._

The cool, crisp raindrops fell gently against his face; the chill made him shiver slightly. He thought for a moment about filing a police report on Shelly, but then realized that Officer Barbrady wouldn't give a damn about his situation either. He traveled further into the heart of South Park as the rain began to pour. He didn't seem to care that his hat and sweater were getting soaked; the damp compress was actually quite comforting to his damaged body. The streetlights flashed brightly up ahead, amplified ten times by the aquatic ambiance. Stan never knew that his little mountain town could be so...beautiful, especially considering the bizarre events that took place on a daily basis.

_Just walking along,  
__My clothes are soaked right through to the skin,  
__I haven't a doubt, that this is what life is all about,  
__The sun and the rain.  
__Scraps of paper washing down the drain..._

The ebony-haired boy let out a sigh – this time, a sigh of relief. That walk in the rain was precisely what he needed to clear his head for the time being. He sat down on a curb and watched the rain wash dead leaves, paper, Styrofoam cups, used condoms, and the like down the drain, carried off into (most likely) the unseen ocean. The asphalt glittered in a mixture of wetness and neon lights. Stan concentrated on the shining illusion until he felt a tap on his shoulder. Naturally, he turned around.

"Couldn't sleep either?"

_I feel the rain falling on my face  
__I can say there is no better place  
__Than standing up in the falling down  
__In so much rain I could almost drown._

"Butters?" Stan was surprised to see his blond acquaintance standing behind him, completely soaked from the falling water.

"H-Hi there, Stan," he stuttered. "I didn't expect to see y-you here."

"I couldn't sleep." Stan confirmed Butters' previous inquiry.

Butters smiled. "I like to t-take walks when I c-can't sleep, too." He blinked awkwardly, nervously rubbing his fists together.

"Yeah..." Stan would have preferred having Kyle around, though Butters seemed nice enough. He fished around for a conversation topic. "So...you like rain?"

"Gosh, I sure do! Especially at night, when all the lights re-reflect off the s-streets like that." He gestured to the sparkling road in front of them. "I guess y-you do too, am I right?"

"I dunno...I guess so." Stan felt a little more at ease. "Hey Butters...can I ask you something?"

"You just did." Butters chuckled softly to himself. "But sure, you can ask me a-anything, Stan."

"What would you do if someone was constantly hitting you for no reason, and nobody would do anything about it?"

"Well...I guess..." Stan didn't realize how close to home he hit Butters' own life. "I-I...guess all you can do r-right now is wait for things to get b-better. I mean, th-there's just gotta be good things happening too...and that p-person can't be mean all the time. B-Besides, you got friends to help you..."

Stan decided it wasn't the best time to mention that his friends hadn't been able to do shit about his predicament, but instead take Butters' attempt at advice. "OK then. Thanks." He smiled slightly, feeling somewhat happier than he had when he left his house.

_It's raining again  
__A crack in the clouds reveals blue skies  
__I've been feeling so low (low)  
__But now everything is on my side  
__The sun and the rain.  
__Walk with me fill my heart again..._

Stan stood up. "Well, I guess I'd better get going."

"Okie-dokie. S-see you t-tomorrow, Stan."

Stan waved goodbye to his friend and splashed along the sidewalk back home. The rain had been very comforting to him, and he took what Butters said to heart.

_I hear the rain falling in my ears  
__Washing away the weariness like tears.  
__I can feel my troubles running down,  
__Disappear into the silent sound. _

Once safely inside his dry, warm bedroom, he changed into new pajamas. He hopped into bed and gave one last look towards the window.

_I feel the rain falling on my face  
__I can say there is no better place  
__Than standing up in the falling down  
__In so much rain I could almost drown.  
__Do de do do de do do do  
__Do de do de do de do do do_

The last things Stan saw before he fell into a deep, refreshing slumber were a streak of blue gracing the horizon and a trace of a rainbow across the windowpane. Perhaps, in due time, things _would_ get better for him.

The End


End file.
